The NEBS 2016 competition season was fun and full of surprises. The final Team of the Year awards will be announced at our annual meeting in January. Watch this space for updates.

The results of the last three listed events for this year are:

Red, White, and Que – Cresskill, NJ: With echos of the win at the Great Maine Barbecue Challenge, Insane Swine BBQ had a dominant GC win with a 1st in Chicken, Ribs, and Pork. The Reserve Grand was also a NEBS team with Smokin’ Hoggz BBQ taking the honor.

Riverside Blues, Brews, and BBQ – Greenfield, MA: Smokin’ Hoggz BBQ was back on top taking the GC in Greenfield, with Que Biz getting the reserve in the KCBS event. Boo Boo Qued grabbed the Grand for the NEBS cooking contest, with Paddy McQ’s taking the Reserve.

Jack Daniel’s Smoke on the Water New Jersey State Barbecue Championship – Atlantic City, NJ: The great thing about BBQ is it’s a meritocracy. No matter who you are, you have to perform to win. This contest, though, was the one time teams should have gotten participation trophies just for finishing. The remains of Hurricane Matthew brought heavy rains and winds topping 50 mph during turn-ins. Seven of the 55 teams that started the contest didn’t complete it. Despite the conditions, for the third NEBS event in a row the GC winner Blazin’ Butts BBQ won with three first place finishes (Ribs, Pork, and Brisket) with the RGC going to the BBQ Guru. Blazin’ Butts also scored an amazing 704, which is (as far as we know) the first time that’s been done in the Northeast. They join Insane Swine BBQ and Smokin’ Hoggz BBQ as the only NEBS teams that are in the KCBS 700 Club.

Update: Blazin’ Buttz BBQ is the first team to score over 700 in a northeast contest since KCBS created the 700 Club online in 2013, but KCBS online records don’t stretch back to the early days of NEBS. At least iQue and I Smell Smoke!!! have done it before, and more than once. There could be other teams as well, looking into it.

The 5th Annual Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival is a CT State BBQ Championship and BBQ Festival at the historic Lounsbury House in a park like setting on one the most picturesque Main Streets in Read more...